4 takeaways: Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation hearing

President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Photo / AP

US President Donald Trump's second Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, yesterday emerged from two marathon days of questioning from senators. Some referred to it as the "last job interview" the 53-year-old appeals court judge will ever have, if, as expected, he's confirmed for the lifetime post.

Others were to testify about Kavanaugh today. Here's what viewers have learned:

No missteps

Kavanaugh didn't say or do anything during his confirmation hearings that would seem to stand in the way of his becoming the court's 114th justice. Republican senators hold a 51-49 advantage in the Senate, so as long as Republicans hold together, Kavanaugh will replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the high court.

"You're going to get confirmed," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said yesterday. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Republican Chuck Grassley said that there could be a vote on Kavanaugh's confirmation before the end of the month and that Kavanaugh could be on the court when it opens its new term on October 1.

Hot-button issues

Observers hoping to get a lot of insight into how Kavanaugh might vote in cases involving hot-button issues such as abortion, guns and presidential power were likely sorely disappointed by the hearings. Kavanaugh declined - as previous nominees have - to give any preview of how he would vote in hypothetical future cases. Kavanaugh demonstrated his mastery of past Supreme Court decisions, but declined to answer questions about whether cases were rightly decided.

Abortion

Of all the hot-button issues Kavanaugh was asked about, Democratic lawmakers returned frequently to questions about Roe vs Wade, the 1973 decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion. Kavanaugh called it an "important precedent" that has "been reaffirmed many times". But in a 2003 email that became public yesterday as part of the confirmation process, Kavanaugh noted Roe vs Wade could be overruled.

Documents and demonstrations

A fight over documents provided the hearing's biggest fireworks. Democrats objected over two days to the fact that some documents had been marked confidential and not available to the public as well as the fact that Republicans have declined Democrats' request for access to documents from a portion of Kavanaugh's time in the White House. Demonstrators also provided sparks, popping up in the hearing room frequently to shout objections to Kavanaugh. Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said that as of yesterday there had been around 200 interruptions to the hearing.

- AP